Thank you to the publisher who approved my request! Was very keen to read this one.
It was a different and interesting magical system, and I'll definitely be keen to read book two. I wish there was a list of the whole Tarot and what cards meant which power.
I did enjoy the attraction between Kaelis and Clara, except I wanted to know more about both of them and their powers. It felt like, even though they were living together, we never saw them together enough.
The plot became very exciting towards the end, and I'm sad about Silas and Bristara. But yes, very interested to know more about this magic and what Kaelis will do when he finds out what happened.
4.5 stars

Arcana Academy is an electric, addictive start to what promises to be a spellbinding series! The magic system here is fascinating. The chemistry between Clara and Kaelis is undeniable, and though Clara is skeptical of Kaelis’s motives, it’s hard not to get sucked into their slow-burn connection. What’s even more enticing is the mystery of Kaelis, he’s more than just a prince with an agenda, and as secrets unravel, so does the depth of his character. The world-building is immersive, dark, mysterious, and filled with the kind of danger that keeps you flipping pages. Overall, a perfect start to a new, thrilling series, and I can’t wait to dive into the next book to see where this dangerous, magical path leads!

Overall this book and its premise were excellent and very entertaining and interesting. I enjoyed the magic system in this and the characters were pretty well thought out. I think maybe they and the storyline could have been fleshed out more, but overall very well done and I am excited to see where this continues.

The premise had so much potential and was exactly what I was looking for, but the execution could use some work. That said, the cover is stunning. Despite its flaws, it managed to pique my interest, so I’ll definitely be reading the second installment.

I'm obsessed with the magic system in Arcana Academy by Elise Kova and that alone is going to bump this book to one of my favorites of the year. I knew just from the description that a fantasy world and magical abilities based on tarot cards was going to be a hit, and I wasn't disappointed! I'm basing my rating on enjoyment and world building alone, and I cannot wait to see where this series goes. Especially after the cliffhanger ending. It's my own fault that I have to wait so long for book 2, but I'm still sad about it.

This is my first Elise Kova, so I'm not familiar with her works/writing style, but I enjoyed it here enough to look into what else she's written and add it to my list. The story flows well and is easy to read while still feeling magical. There were some frustrating moments with the MC, especially with the tension and back and forth with the love interest, but it fits well with the enemies to lovers trope. The glossary in the back of spells based on tarot cards is very helpful, and I hope to see even more of them in the next book.

I didn't love how many characters there are. We've got not only the love interest for the MC, but also her mom, sister, found family who raised her, other students at the academy, love interest's family... there's just not enough time or depth to get invested in these relationships. So when characters die (and plenty do!), it just doesn't hit the same way it would in books where these relationships are fully explored. If I cared more about character driven books, I'd probably knock off a star, but since I'm a plot fan through and through, I'm sticking with my 5 star rating.

Rezension zu Arcana Academy von Elise Kova

Ein magischer Auftakt in eine Welt voller Intrigen und Romantik

Elise Kova, bekannt für ihre detailreichen und packenden Fantasy-Welten, entführt uns mit Arcana Academy in eine düstere, aber faszinierende Welt, in der Tarotkarten nicht nur mystische Werkzeuge, sondern Schlüssel zu Macht und Gefahren sind. Mit einer Protagonistin, die zwischen ihrer Freiheit und den Schatten ihrer Vergangenheit navigiert, und einem charismatischen, aber undurchsichtigen Prinzen, verspricht dieser Roman eine fesselnde Mischung aus Magie, Intrigen und Romantik.


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Inhalt und Handlung

Clara Graysword hat in Eclipse City gelernt, wie man überlebt – mit Mut, List und illegaler Magie. Doch ihre Gabe, Tarotkarten zu "zeichnen", bringt sie in Schwierigkeiten, als sie bei einem Job erwischt wird. Statt einer lebenslangen Haftstrafe erhält Clara ein überraschendes Angebot: der geheimnisvolle Leiter der Arcana Academy, Prinz Kaelis, bietet ihr einen Ausweg. Dafür soll sie ihm helfen, eine mächtige Karte zu stehlen, die längst verloren geglaubt ist.

Um ihre Identität zu schützen, wird Clara als seine zukünftige Braut und neue Schülerin der Akademie eingeführt. Doch das Leben an der Arcana Academy, mit ihren strengen Regeln, rivalisierenden Adeligen und verbotenen Geheimnissen, birgt neue Gefahren. Während sie sich langsam in Kaelis’ Welt einfügt, beginnt Clara zu hinterfragen, ob sie ihrem vermeintlichen Retter trauen kann – oder ob sie ihn und die Macht, die er sucht, für sich beanspruchen sollte.


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Stärken des Buches

1. Fesselnder Weltaufbau: Elise Kova zeichnet mit der Arcana Academy und Eclipse City eine lebendige Welt, die sowohl düster als auch faszinierend ist. Die Kombination aus magischen Tarotkarten und politischer Intrige verleiht der Geschichte eine frische Note.


2. Komplexe Charaktere: Clara ist eine vielschichtige Heldin, die mit ihrem Mut, ihrer Verletzlichkeit und ihrer moralischen Grauzone beeindruckt. Prinz Kaelis ist eine ebenso faszinierende Figur – ein Mann voller Geheimnisse, dessen wahre Motive bis zum Ende unklar bleiben.


3. Spannung und Intrigen: Von gefährlichen Geheimnissen bis zu verräterischen Allianzen ist Arcana Academy ein Roman, der bis zur letzten Seite fesselt.


4. Romantische Dynamik: Die Beziehung zwischen Clara und Kaelis entwickelt sich in einem intensiven Slow Burn, der perfekt die Grenzen zwischen Hass, Anziehung und Vertrauen auslotet.




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Schwächen des Buches

Die Einführung in die komplexe Welt und ihre Regeln ist gelegentlich etwas überladen, was zu einer steilen Lernkurve führen kann. Einige Nebenfiguren bleiben im Vergleich zu Clara und Kaelis blass, obwohl sie potenziell interessante Handlungsstränge bieten.


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Schreibstil und Atmosphäre

Elise Kovas Schreibstil ist lebendig und bildhaft, mit einer perfekten Balance zwischen spannungsgeladenen Szenen und intimen Momenten. Sie schafft es, die düstere, gefährliche Atmosphäre der Akademie und die pulsierende Energie von Eclipse City greifbar zu machen.


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Fazit

Arcana Academy ist ein vielversprechender Auftakt zu einer Reihe, die Leser:innen mit einer Mischung aus magischen Tarotkarten, gefährlichen Intrigen und einer prickelnden Romanze begeistert. Mit einer starken Heldin, einer düsteren Akademie voller Geheimnisse und einer fesselnden Handlung hat Elise Kova einen Pageturner geschaffen, der sowohl Fantasy- als auch Romantik-Fans ansprechen wird.

Bewertung: 4,5/5 Sterne – Ein fantastischer Start in eine neue magische Welt, die Lust auf mehr macht.

Arcana Academy is the first book in this new series. Written by new to me author Elise Kova, published by Randomhouse Publishing Group, this is a full length, literally unputdownable read.
I just wanted to take a peek, but now 2 days later after binge reading this gem of a story I'm spent. I'm all read out and I loved every single minute.
Clara is dealt a rough hand, when it seems Karma's smiling at her, offering a place at an academy for magicians. In a world where Tarot rules everything, magic is common and commoners have to work hard to make ends meet - reading this book was like being invited into another world, a fantasic story, 5 stars.

WOW OK immediately yes 5 ⭐️’s!!

I absolutely loved and devoured this, I was so sad to finish because I don’t know how I’m expected to wait for the next book 😭

The world building in this was flawless imo. It didn’t feel like an info dump, it was just seamlessly blended into the story. The magic system? Amazing and so unique! I looove the fact that each tarot card has its own ability.

Now our fmc Clara - love her. She’s really tough (all of the emotional losses she’s experienced 😭) and she’s so talented with tarot cards and I love that she knows that. Love an fmc that is confident in their abilities and doesn’t apologize for it 💘
And our mmc Kaelis.. is this love? He’s got these shadow daddy vibes without quite being a shadow daddy. I love his aloof, cocky attitude because you just know deep down he’s got a little softie heart (as evidenced by all the things he does for Clara 🥲) The surprisingly sweet things that came outta this man’s mouth.. I was kicking my feet and giggling!!

The romance does take a backseat to the overall plot, but I didn’t even mind because I am so intrigued about this whole storyline.
In this you’re gonna get: enemies to lovers, tension, slow burn, academy setting, unique magic system and forced fake engagement.
I’m so excited for more of this world and for more Clara and Kaelis 🥹💘

Thank you so much to Del Rey and NetGalley for the chance to read this arc!

A book with a unique magic system involving fantasy card! Unlike something I’ve read before, but I just wished the character development was a bit stronger. I had a hard time getting invested in any of the characters. Storyline made up for that though!

Okay, Arcana Academy by Elise Kova? ABSOLUTE BANGER. I’m seriously obsessed, and it took me a while to finish (it’s a bit long, but hey, fantasy novels, am I right?). But let me tell you, every page was worth it.

First of all, the magic system? Tarot-based magic. I haven’t seen anything like that before, and it was SO cool. It’s rare that a magic system actually feels fresh and unique, but this one hit the mark. I loved how each card brought its own power and mystery—it made the whole world-building even more exciting.

Now, the real star of the show? The tension between the FMC and MMC. Whew. I’m a sucker for romance in fantasy, but I often can guess where the plot’s headed. NOT here. Kova kept me guessing every step of the way—just when I thought I had things figured out, I was pulled in a totally new direction. Seriously, I still don’t know who to trust. There were SO many bombshells dropped at the end, and that cliffhanger? Please tell me book two is already finished and I can start reading it tomorrow.

Huge thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing - Del Rey, and Inklore for the advanced copy. If book two is already written, can you please, PLEASE send it my way? I need it. Now.

I was going to wait until 2025 to start reading this one, but I'm so glad I picked it up yesterday (Dec.26/24) and began to read it. Once I started, I almost couldn't put it down--this is a captivating read!

When it’s finally released in July 2025, I can pretty much predict that it’s gonna be a best-selling series—and I don’t need the tarot to predict that.

This is a dark academia fantasy and the narrative is tightly woven and compellingly written. The characters are flawed and have complex motivations. You don't need to know anything about the tarot in order to read and enjoy this book, but I will say that it has inspired me to pick up some books about the tarot to deepen the knowledge I already have about it.

I've just finished it today and I already can’t wait for book 2!

Intrigue, power struggles, corrupt monarchy and magic - I will never look at tarot cards the same after this read!

This was a terrific fantasy read and the introduction to this world was incredible. I devoured the first third of the book. I found the glossary for the tarot cards at the end, which may have helped me understand some fights a bit better if I had discovered this earlier, but I was still able to follow the premise of what was happening.

Lot's of twists and turns, and I was on edge trying to work out who to trust right up until the end. The ending had a real cliffhanger too...

I'm still on the fence about the relationship our main character finds herself in. The sex scene made it 'adult' for me. Not because there was sex, as teenagers should be reading about all sorts of relationships. As soon as there is fisting of hair and "Fuck me!" in the dialogue, as a school librarian my preference is to pop a 'Senior Fiction' sticker on the spine of this novel. Will definitely recommend to Senior students and staff.

What a great first book for a fantasy series!

This was so captivating!
In Arcana Academy we get a very interesting magical world setting with intriging characters and a action-packed story.

We follow Clara on her mission while she's getting in to the heart of Arcana Academy and maybe anothers heart too..

All in all a romantasy with enemies to lovers-ish and lot's of morray grey maincharcters.

Post on IG (one_fairy_tale_at_the_time) the 14.jan 2025

I love Elise’s books and was stoked to get this. It was better than I expected and can’t wait for the rest

This book had me at tarot cards! The FMC, Clara Graysword, is facing life in prison. However, the headmaster of the Arcana Academy, Prince Kaelis, strikes a deal with Clara for her freedom. I loved the romantasy of this book, which I don't always becuase sometimes romantasy falls short in feeling the characters have any "magic" together. This book is different. I also was intrigued, as previously stated, but the tarot cards and their magic in this world. Romantasy lovers NEED to get this book!

This book was an absolute page-turner! From the very first page, I was hooked. The story had this amazing plot that slowly built up this romantic tension and this super cool magic system. The action scenes were intense, and the romance was swoon-worthy, but the magic system was just mind-blowing. Elise really nailed the blend of fantasy and magic, and it made me feel like I was transported to a whole new world.

Netgalley ARC.

First of all, what a fantastic hook and magic premise. I felt drawn in by the first few chapters and really liked the protagonist, Clara. She started off having a strong personality and wasn't afraid to take action.

A tarot card magic system is extremely cool!

However, for me, the book suffers from having a large number of characters that fail to have distinctive personalities. They all blurred together at one point, and I was confused by who was who.

The descriptions and overall writing style didn't offer anything fresh or exciting, sadly.

I also didn't care for the love interest. I'm growing tired of the dark-haired shadow boys with their bland dialogue and terrible foreplay, tbh. I want something with more depth and variety, I think.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.
Arcana Academy by Elise Kova presents a captivating blend of magical academia and a thrilling escape plot. The concept of a young woman trapped in a dangerous prison , Fighting to escape and break free from her past, is incredibly engaging. I loved the setting of the academy itself its mysterious atmosphere, complex characters, and the constant tension of trying to outsmart the system.
The relationship between the protagonist and the prince was another highlight. Their dynamic had a lot of potential, and I enjoyed the chemistry between them. The trials, the dangers, and the slow-building romance kept me hooked, making the stakes feel high and adding depth to the story.

However, while I was initially invested in the plot, the ending left me feeling disappointed. After all the trials and the intense struggle for freedom, the protagonist gets captured again in a way that feels like a letdown. It undermined the sense of progress and growth she seemed to experience throughout the story. Additionally, the revelation that her sister is alive wasn't as surprising or impactful as I had hoped, feeling somewhat unnecessary to the overall narrative.

From the first few pages, this book had me hooked. The magic system and world building are 5 stars alone. The plot is spectacular and full of descriptive details without being too wordy. I fell in love with the FMC, Clara, from the moment I cracked the book open. She is the epitome of strength, resilience, intelligence, creativity and honesty. Her little smart-alec quips had me giggling! I love the fact that the author gave tarot cards such power in this series. As a tarot lover, it just feels so magical! I'm a sucker for the bad boy so Prince Kaelis is villian perfection! The cliffhanger was perfectly annoying in all the right ways! Amazing book!!!

If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I absolutely would! It’s an incredible read and a phenomenal start to the series. This story breaks away from the typical romantasy formula in the best way, offering a fresh and unique perspective with its use of tarot cards—how they are created and wielded is nothing short of fascinating. The world-building is richly detailed but never overwhelming; the concepts are presented so skilfully that they’re easy to grasp and utterly captivating.

The academy setting adds depth without overshadowing the plot, as plenty of action unfolds beyond its walls. The pacing is exceptional, especially for a book of this length. I was so immersed in this world that I never wanted to leave. The tension, the longing, and the slow, slow burn romance are masterfully done—absolute perfection!

I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy, romance, or romantasy. Do yourself a favour and preorder it—you won’t regret it! I know I’ll be eagerly awaiting my own copy.

A huge thank you to Del Rey for the ARC via NetGalley and the opportunity to share my honest thoughts about this fantastic book.